CSIR UGC NET June 2026

CSIR UGC NET (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) June 2026 is a national-level examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of CSIR-HRDG. This test determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Lectureship/Assistant Professor positions in Science & Technology subjects across Indian universities and colleges. Candidates qualifying as JRF receive fellowship for pursuing PhD research, while those qualifying for Lectureship become eligible for assistant professor positions in universities and colleges. The exam covers five subjects: Chemical Sciences, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. This is an All India level examination conducted twice a year (June and December cycles).

Important Dates (Indicative)

Note: Exact dates will be announced in the official notification. These are typical timelines based on previous cycles.

Vacancy Details

Note: CSIR UGC NET does not have fixed vacancies. The number of JRF fellowships awarded depends on merit and CSIR's annual budget allocation. All candidates scoring above the Lectureship cutoff are deemed eligible for Assistant Professor positions. Typical recent cycles have awarded 4000-5000 JRF fellowships across all subjects.

Educational Qualification

For JRF (Junior Research Fellowship):

• M.Sc. or equivalent degree in relevant subject with minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwD candidates)
• OR BSc (Hons) / BS / BE / BTech / BPharma / MBBS with minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwD)
• Integrated MS-PhD program students who have completed coursework as per UGC 2016 regulations

For Lectureship Only:

• M.Sc. or equivalent degree in relevant subject with minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwD candidates)
• No upper age limit for Lectureship-only category

Subject Areas: Chemical Sciences, Earth/Atmospheric/Ocean/Planetary Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences

Age Limit

For JRF:

Age calculated as on 01 June 2026

For Lectureship Only: No upper age limit

Nationality

• Indian Nationals only
• Candidates must be citizens of India at the time of application

How to Apply

1. Visit the official NTA CSIR UGC NET portal at csirnet.nta.nic.in
2. Click on "CSIR UGC NET June 2026" application link on the homepage
3. Complete new candidate registration using valid email ID and mobile number (OTP verification required)
4. Login using generated Application Number and Password
5. Fill the online application form with personal, educational, category, subject choice and exam centre preferences
6. Upload scanned documents: recent photograph (10-100 KB), signature (4-30 KB), category certificate if applicable (50-300 KB), PwD certificate if applicable
7. Pay the application fee online via Credit Card/Debit Card/Net Banking/UPI/Paytm
8. Submit the application form and save/print the confirmation page for future reference
9. Note down Application Number for tracking admit card and results

Application Fee

Application fee is non-refundable. Payment gateway charges applicable as per bank/payment mode.

Selection Stages

1. Single Paper Computer Based Test (CBT): A single paper of 3 hours duration with 120 questions covering Part A (General Aptitude), Part B (Subject Knowledge), and Part C (Advanced Subject Topics). All candidates appear for the same test.

1. Merit List Preparation: Based on performance, separate merit lists are prepared for JRF and Lectureship. Top scorers get JRF (fellowship for PhD research), while candidates above Lectureship cutoff are eligible for Assistant Professor positions.

1. Document Verification: Shortlisted JRF candidates must submit original documents for verification including degree certificates, mark sheets, category certificates, and age proof at the time of fellowship joining.

1. JRF Award: Upon document verification and joining a recognized research institution/university for PhD, candidates receive the CSIR JRF fellowship of ₹31,000 per month (first two years) and ₹35,000 per month (remaining period), along with annual contingency grant.

1. Lectureship Certificate: Candidates qualifying for Lectureship receive eligibility certificate from UGC for applying to Assistant Professor positions in universities and colleges across India.

Note: There is no interview for CSIR UGC NET. Selection is purely based on CBT performance.

Examination Pattern - Single Paper (Computer Based Test)

Overall Exam Structure

Question Types and Marking Scheme

Important Points:

• Part A is common for all subjects (General Aptitude)
• Part B and C are subject-specific
• Part C contains advanced level questions (may have one or more correct answers)
• Unanswered questions carry no marks and no negative marking
• All questions compulsory, no sectional time limits
• For JRF: Performance in all three parts counted; For Lectureship: Only Part B and C counted

Detailed Syllabus

Part A - General Aptitude (Common for All Subjects)

• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Graphical analysis and data interpretation
• Quantitative reasoning and numerical ability
• Reading comprehension and verbal ability
• Research methodology and scientific aptitude
• General awareness of scientific developments

Part B & C - Subject-Specific Syllabus

Chemical Sciences

• Inorganic Chemistry: Atomic structure, periodic properties, coordination chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, organometallic chemistry
• Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, quantum chemistry, spectroscopy, electrochemistry, surface chemistry
• Organic Chemistry: Structure and reactivity, stereochemistry, organic synthesis, reaction mechanisms, natural products, heterocyclic compounds
• Analytical Chemistry: Chromatography, spectroscopic methods, separation techniques

Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences

• Earth and Planetary System: Solar system, meteorites, geophysics, geochemistry
• Atmosphere and Oceanography: Atmospheric physics and dynamics, ocean circulation, climate dynamics
• Geology: Mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, stratigraphy, economic geology
• Environmental Sciences: Environmental pollution, conservation, climate change

Life Sciences

• Molecular Biology and Genetics: DNA replication, transcription, translation, genetic engineering, genomics
• Biochemistry: Biomolecules, enzymes, metabolism, bioenergetics
• Cell Biology: Cell structure, signalling, cell cycle, apoptosis
• Microbiology and Immunology: Microbial diversity, immunology, vaccines
• Ecology and Evolution: Population ecology, biodiversity, evolution theories
• Plant Sciences: Plant physiology, biochemistry, biotechnology
• Animal Sciences: Animal physiology, developmental biology, neuroscience

Mathematical Sciences

• Analysis: Real analysis, complex analysis, functional analysis, measure theory
• Algebra: Group theory, ring theory, linear algebra, module theory
• Topology: Metric spaces, topological spaces, connectedness, compactness
• Ordinary Differential Equations: Existence theorems, stability theory
• Partial Differential Equations: Classification, boundary value problems
• Numerical Analysis: Interpolation, numerical integration, numerical solutions
• Discrete Mathematics: Combinatorics, graph theory
• Statistics and Probability: Probability distributions, statistical inference, regression

Physical Sciences

• Classical Mechanics: Newton's laws, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, rigid body dynamics
• Quantum Mechanics: Wave functions, operators, angular momentum, perturbation theory
• Electromagnetic Theory: Electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves
• Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics: Laws of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, statistical ensembles
• Atomic and Molecular Physics: Atomic spectra, molecular structure, lasers
• Condensed Matter Physics: Crystal structure, band theory, superconductivity
• Nuclear and Particle Physics: Nuclear models, radioactivity, elementary particles
• Electronics: Semiconductor devices, operational amplifiers, digital circuits

Note: Detailed topic-wise syllabus available in official notification. Part C questions are of advanced nature from the same topics.

JRF Fellowship & Lectureship Benefits (Typical / Indicative)

Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) - Monthly Fellowship

Fellowship Duration: Initially 2 years, extendable up to 5 years subject to satisfactory performance and PhD registration.

Lectureship/Assistant Professor Salary (7th CPC)

Additional Benefits: Medical benefits, LTC, pension (as per NPS), professional development allowance of ₹3,000-5,000 per month. Actual salary may vary based on university/state government implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

JRF fellows can pursue PhD research in prestigious CSIR laboratories, IITs, NITs, central universities and other recognized institutions. Upon PhD completion, fellows can apply for CSIR Scientist positions, faculty roles in universities, research positions in DRDO/ISRO/DAE, or pursue postdoctoral research abroad. Lectureship qualified candidates can join as Assistant Professors (Level 10) and progress to Associate Professor (Level 12, ₹1,31,400) and Professor (Level 13/14, ₹1,44,200-₹2,18,200) based on API scores and years of service. The qualification remains valid for 3 years from result declaration for Lectureship positions.

CSIR UGC NET June 2026 admit cards will be released approximately 7-10 days before the examination date on the official NTA portal csirnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates must login using their Application Number and Date of Birth/Password to download the admit card. The admit card contains candidate's photograph, signature, exam centre details, reporting time, and important instructions. No admit card will be sent by post. Candidates must carry the admit card along with a valid original photo ID proof (Aadhaar/PAN/Driving License/Passport) to the examination centre for entry.

CSIR UGC NET June 2026 results are typically declared within 4-6 weeks of the examination date on the NTA official website. The result includes candidate-wise scorecard showing marks obtained in each part, total marks, All India Rank (AIR), and category-wise rank. Separate merit lists are prepared for JRF and Lectureship categories. Candidates qualifying for JRF will receive fellowship award letters from CSIR-HRDG, while Lectureship qualified candidates can download their eligibility certificate from the UGC website. Score cards remain valid for 3 years from the date of result declaration for claiming Lectureship eligibility.

CSIR UGC NET cutoffs vary significantly by subject and category. Typical JRF cutoffs range from 50-60% for general category (150-180 marks out of 300) while Lectureship cutoffs are around 42-50% (126-150 marks). SC/ST cutoffs are typically 7-10% lower than general category. Life Sciences and Chemical Sciences generally have higher cutoffs (55-60% for JRF) compared to Mathematical Sciences and Physical Sciences (50-55% for JRF). Part A performance is crucial for JRF selection while Lectureship depends only on Part B+C combined score. Actual cutoffs depend on exam difficulty, number of applicants, and available fellowships.

Examination Centres Across India

North: Delhi NCR (Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad), Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Dehradun, Jammu, Shimla, Rohtak

South: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Coimbatore, Mysore, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Puducherry, Mangalore

East: Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Ranchi, Patna, Durgapur, Jamshedpur, Rourkela, Sambalpur

West: Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Nagpur, Nashik, Vadodara, Rajkot, Indore, Bhopal, Aurangabad, Thane

Northeast: Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Imphal, Agartala, Shillong, Aizawl

Central: Raipur, Bilaspur, Jabalpur

Note: Exam centres are allotted subject to availability and candidate preference. NTA reserves the right to add/delete centres or shift candidates to nearby centres.